Nelson Morales

Padel fever continues growth in Philippines with APPT Manila Open

Article (news)

Dyan Castillejo

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The sport of padel is gaining momentum in the Philippines and the recent Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT) Manila Open showcased just how far the country has come.Held from February 21-23 at Play Padel Mandaluyong, the tournament drew 160 players from 24 countries competing in six categories: Male, Female, and Mixed Pro, as well as Male, Female, and Mixed Amateur divisions.Carlos Carrillo, CEO of the Asia Pacific Padel Tour, expressed his excitement about the event, noting the vibrant atmosphere and the continuous improvement of the competition.&quot;It’s amazing. The atmosphere you can see right now is nice. I think it’s going well. We have two more days, and I think it’s going to get better and better,&quot; he said.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1740291434860480778716_17943157439952831_4942654903355481338_n.jpg" style="width:600px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Asia Pacific Padel Tour Facebook page"/>Asia Pacific Padel Tour Facebook page<a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/2024/11/13/fip-rise-manila-historic-for-padel-enthusiasts-says-manila-padel-club-president-1845">FIP Rise Manila ‘historic’ for padel enthusiasts, says Manila Padel Club President</a></div>Australian player Tim Brown, ranked No. 5 on the APPT Tour, highlighted the depth of competition in the Philippines.&quot;It’s tough. There are many good players here competing, which is great to see. We had a tough first round, and it’s only going to get harder,&quot; he said.His partner, Alejandro Alcaraz Gonzalez, praised the rapid development of padel in the Philippines, calling it &quot;the number one improving country&quot; in the sport.One of the highlights of the tournament was the strong performance of Filipino players which included Tao Yee Tan, ranked No. 2 on the APPT Women’s Pro Tour who has already won two APPT tournaments in Singapore and Malaysia. A former NCAA tennis player, Tan expressed her joy at seeing the sport grow in the country.&quot;It&#x27;s really a privilege to play here and compete with different nationalities. We get better when we play against experienced players, especially those from Japan, who have been playing padel for 15-20 years.&quot;In the men’s division, Joseph Cera, ranked #13 on the APPT Tour, is currently the highest-ranked Filipino player.Having relocated from Dubai to the Philippines, Cera has seen first-hand the sport’s rapid growth.&quot;In just two years, I’ve seen massive improvement among Filipino players. The padel community is growing fast, and it’s exciting to be part of it.&quot;Padel Pilipinas is working hard to expand the sport’s reach, with 11 internationally accredited Filipino coaches now training new players. Grassroots programs are also being developed in the provinces to introduce the sport to more communities.Sen. Pia Cayetano, founder of Padel Pilipinas, emphasized her advocacy for making sports more accessible.&quot;Every child who has access to basketball courts should have access to other sports as well,&quot; she said. &quot;We are building paddle courts, and these are public courts.&quot;&quot;We have 11 internationally certified coaches, and we&#x27;re still working more on that and then we focus on beginner programs,&quot; she added.Cayetano also hopes to involve schools themselves to incorporate padel into their institutions.&quot;We&#x27;ll teach the teachers in the school to the public. And this is based on programs I&#x27;ve studied. When I brought our head coach to Spain and Portugal, that&#x27;s what they did in Portugal. The paddle coaches talk to the teachers. The teachers get excited. They want to make their kids play and then you also invite the community.&quot;As part of this initiative, the APPT Tour is helping increase international exposure for Filipino players. Following the Manila Open, another APPT leg will be held in Batangas next week, further cementing the Philippines&#x27; position in the international padel scene.The Manila Open also attracted newcomers to the sport including celebrities and fitness enthusiasts.Miss Grand International 2022 5th Runner-up Tamondong highlighted the sport’s intensity and social aspects.&quot;After two hours, you’re already sweating, but padel is also about strategy and teamwork with your partner,&quot; she said.Actress Christine Bernas described padel as a great stress-reliever that keeps players active and engaged.&quot;It keeps you moving and improves your mentality. It’s like therapy on the court,&quot; Bernas explained.With a total prize pool of $10,000 ($5,000 each for male and female divisions), the Manila Open provided strong incentives for top competitors. The winners in both the Male and Female Pro categories will take home $2,000, while the runner-ups receive $1,000. Semi-finalists earn $500, and quarter-finalists walk away with $250.<div>RELATED VIDEO</div><div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/68GEoFt2YvI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>

The sport of padel is gaining momentum in the Philippines and the recent Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT) Manila Open showcased just how far the country has come.

The sport of padel is gaining momentum in the Philippines and the recent Asia Pacific Padel Tour (APPT) Manila Open showcased just how far the country has come.